Wetland 'bank' near Long Beach certified to operate

OLYMPIA – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Washington Department of
Ecology (Ecology) and Pacific County have certified the operation of a wetland
mitigation bank on 76 acres of privately owned land north of the city of Long
Beach in Pacific County.

LBMB of Longview, the company that will build and operate the bank, will
permanently protect the bank site through a conservation easement.

Wetland mitigation banking creates an economic incentive for restoring,
creating, enhancing and preserving wetlands. Wetland mitigation banks are an
important strategy for engaging the private sector and power of the marketplace
to sustain Washington’s remaining wetlands.

Wetlands are essential for protecting Washington waters. They support and
protect communities and businesses by filtering drinking water, holding flood
waters, providing fish and wildlife habitat and supporting wildlife-related
recreation.

While there are about 12 other banks operating across the state, the Long
Beach bank is the first to be formally certified under both state and federal
rules in Pacific County.

Corps Seattle District Regulatory Branch Chief Muffy Walker said: “Mitigation
banks are an important tool for the Corps to have available for improving the
success of environmental mitigation efforts on the Long Beach Peninsula.”

The Long Beach wetland bank is designed to protect portions of an important
mature interdunal wetland system made up of a wide wetland swale with multiple
dune ridges that extends about 15 miles along the length of the Long Beach
Peninsula. The site also includes forested uplands with mature and old growth
trees.

The Long Beach wetland bank is primarily a preservation project that also
includes enhancement elements that will offer credits – subject to regulatory
approval – for development projects on the peninsula.

The availability of wetlands credits, however, does not eliminate state and
federal regulations requiring developers to first avoid and minimize wetland
damage.

The bank is located east of Ocean Beach Highway (State Route 103) at the end
of 148th Place north of Long Beach. It augments other wetland protection and
conservation efforts on the Long Beach Peninsula.

In 2010, Ecology received a $1 million federal grant and worked with the
Columbia Land Trust to acquire and protect an additional 125 acres of coastal
wetlands, forest and streamside habitat to the Island and Loomis Lakes
conservation area on the peninsula.

The Long Beach wetland bank is located south of this project and will further
protect this critical wetland system by extending conservation efforts south of
Loomis Lake.